MADURAI: Air connectivity from Madurai to Sri Lanka appears to be materialising as Sri Lankan president
Mahinda Rajapaksa has assured the visiting Tamil MPs about increasing connectivity between the two regions.
Virudhunagar MP
Manick Tagore, who shared his experience of the trip to Sri Lanka with media persons here on Sunday, said the Tamil MPs in the parliamentary team insisted that there should be more connectivity between
Tamil Nadu and the northern and eastern provinces of Sri Lanka where Tamils lived in large numbers. "After we insisted on connectivity between Tamils living in both countries,
Rajapaksa told us that he had already cleared a proposal to starting air connectivity to Madurai. He added that
Sri Lankan Airlines was cancelling a few European operations and would have flights available for connecting Madurai. When we stressed about increased connectivity, he told us that he will go ahead with the flight operations even if they had to incur loss," Tagore said.
The main objective of the committee visit was to inspect rehabilitation works totalling Rs 25,000 crore in Sri Lanka sponsored by the
Government of India. "We have also interacted with Tamil leaders in the country who wanted devolution of powers for Tamil provinces.
The committee also met people in IDP camps, which now have 6,500 members. After visiting all the places, there was a detailed discussion where Indian MPs represented these issues. The Sri Lankan side assured us that they will hold elections in the northern province soon after moving all people in IDP camps to their native places. Rajapaksa has given a timeline of June 30 to resettle people in IDP," Tagore said.
The committee had also discussed the increased military presence in the northern province that kept people in fear. The Sri Lankan side is said to have promised the MPs that the armed forces would be withdrawn from civilian areas after elections in the province. "They are a bit upset over India supporting the UN
resolution but they understand India's situation.
The Sri Lankan authorities also promised to look into the fishermen attack issue, and will come out with a mechanism wherein fishermen of both countries themselves will resolve their issues," MP said.
